S. Korea urges COVID-19 survivors to donate blood plasma for future treatment
- 4 years ago
코로나19 혈장치료제, 혈장기증 여전히 부족
As South Korea continues to see an increase in the number of COVID-19 patients, the government is asking for coronavirus survivors to donate their blood plasma...to help treat new patients of the disease.
Our Choi Won-jong was at Korea University Ansan Hospital to talk to one of the donors.
While in hospital recovering from COVID-19 just a few months ago, this former patient, using the alias 'Joy Jo', saw something on the news that caught her attention.
When I was recovering in hospital, I saw on the news that people had been donating their blood plasma after recovering from COVID-19. That's when I decided to donate mine as well.
Then, after the South Korean government released blood plasma donation guidelines for COVID-19 survivors, donating was no-brainer for Joy.
"I want to be a proud mother. I wanted to leave all the suffering caused by the COVID-19 outbreak behind and create new, positive times."
Just like her, as more COVID-19 survivors have been donating their plasma, some doctors say this could be a vital source for future COVID-19 treatments.
"We were hoping for remdesivir to work as an emergency treatment, but it didn't reach our expectations. However, plasma treatment - using someone else's antibodies - can help fight the virus. That's why we need it."
However, this doctor says there is still not enough plasma stockpiled to treat COVID-19 patients in critical condition.
"Just because we get one-hundred-20 plasma donations, that doesn't mean we can treat one-hundred-20 patients. We can only treat 30 to 40 patients, or maybe 50 to 60. We need more donors to come forward and donate their blood plasma for future COVID-19 patients."
As of Thursday, the Korea Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention says that more than one-hundred-20 people have donated their plasma in South Korea so far. Health authorities expect to begin clinical trials for plasma treatment starting in July.
Choi Won-jong, Arirang News.
As South Korea continues to see an increase in the number of COVID-19 patients, the government is asking for coronavirus survivors to donate their blood plasma...to help treat new patients of the disease.
Our Choi Won-jong was at Korea University Ansan Hospital to talk to one of the donors.
While in hospital recovering from COVID-19 just a few months ago, this former patient, using the alias 'Joy Jo', saw something on the news that caught her attention.
When I was recovering in hospital, I saw on the news that people had been donating their blood plasma after recovering from COVID-19. That's when I decided to donate mine as well.
Then, after the South Korean government released blood plasma donation guidelines for COVID-19 survivors, donating was no-brainer for Joy.
"I want to be a proud mother. I wanted to leave all the suffering caused by the COVID-19 outbreak behind and create new, positive times."
Just like her, as more COVID-19 survivors have been donating their plasma, some doctors say this could be a vital source for future COVID-19 treatments.
"We were hoping for remdesivir to work as an emergency treatment, but it didn't reach our expectations. However, plasma treatment - using someone else's antibodies - can help fight the virus. That's why we need it."
However, this doctor says there is still not enough plasma stockpiled to treat COVID-19 patients in critical condition.
"Just because we get one-hundred-20 plasma donations, that doesn't mean we can treat one-hundred-20 patients. We can only treat 30 to 40 patients, or maybe 50 to 60. We need more donors to come forward and donate their blood plasma for future COVID-19 patients."
As of Thursday, the Korea Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention says that more than one-hundred-20 people have donated their plasma in South Korea so far. Health authorities expect to begin clinical trials for plasma treatment starting in July.
Choi Won-jong, Arirang News.